United Airlines software engineer candidates describe resume-driven technical conversations, SQL and OOP questions, and behavioral rounds. Formats vary by team, from video screens to on-campus days.
$122K
Avg. Base Comp
$137K
Avg. Total Comp
3-4 rounds
Typical Rounds
Not reported
Process Length
The most repeated theme in candidate reports is the resume. Several software engineer candidates say the live rounds centered on their own projects and listed skills, with follow-ups on design decisions, architecture and APIs. Be ready to defend every project on your resume in detail.
Technical content varies by team. Reported topics include OOP concepts such as polymorphism, reversing a linked list, SDLC and testing frameworks, and SQL, including window functions and a second-highest-salary query. Other topics include .NET, dependency injection, the Singleton pattern and microservices. One on-campus candidate described a recursive perfect-square check, a three-ants puzzle, Fibonacci and ACID properties. Another candidate, who got an offer, said a SQL technical assessment tested how they reasoned through different approaches, not just correct answers. Others called the technical bar fairly light.
Behavioral questions appear in many reports, sometimes through a recorded video format. Candidates describe questions about weaknesses, owning projects from start to finish and facing challenges at work. One candidate who received an offer said the hiring manager probed interest in aviation and United's mission. Outcomes are mixed, and one candidate described repeated rescheduling that slowed the process, so confirm next steps in writing.
Synthesized from 13 candidate reports by our editorial team.
Had an interview recently?
Share your experience. Unlock the full guide.
Real interview reports from people who went through the United Airlines process.
Share your own interview experience to unlock all reports, or subscribe for full access.
Sourced from candidate reports and verified by our team.
Topics based on recent interview experiences.
Featured question at United Airlines
Describing a data project and its challenges
| Question | |
|---|---|
| KNN From Scratch | |
| A Simpler KNN From Scratch | |
| Text Editor With OOP | |
| Employee Salaries | |
| Top 3 Users | |
| Weighted Keys | |
| User Experience Percentage | |
| Distance Traveled | |
| Size of Joins | |
| Manager Team Sizes | |
| Maximum Profit | |
| Download Facts | |
| Sum to N | |
| Google Maps Improvement | |
| Type-ahead Search | |
| Type I and II Errors | |
| Third Purchase | |
| P-value to a Layman | |
| Groups of Anagrams | |
| Random Weighted Driver | |
| Binary Tree Conversion | |
| Sort Strings | |
| Production Model Monitoring | |
| Dijkstra implementation | |
| Bernoulli Sample | |
| Christmas Dinner Ingredient Optimization | |
| Client Solution Pushback | |
| Messenger Service Design | |
| RAG Strict Source Control |
Synthesized from candidate reports. Individual experiences may vary.
Candidates report starting with a recruiter call or a recorded video screen. These covered background, the role and interest in United and aviation. Formats differ by candidate, so a call, a HireVue-style video or both may come first. Prepare a concise story of your experience and why you want this role.
Several candidates describe a live technical round driven by their resume. Interviewers asked about projects, technologies and design decisions, with OOP concepts like polymorphism and a simple task such as reversing a linked list. Expect to explain what you built and why. Depth on listed skills typically matters more than obscure algorithms.
Some candidates report a separate assessment: an online skills test, a coding challenge or a SQL technical assessment. SQL came up repeatedly, including window functions and second-highest-salary queries. Candidates say interviewers wanted reasoning explained, not just answers. This step may not apply to every team.
One candidate described a wider online round covering .NET, dependency injection, Singleton, microservices and API design. Others met hiring managers or team members for a mix of behavioral and light technical discussion. Scope likely depends on the team and stack.
Candidates report behavioral questions, sometimes in recorded video form, about ownership, challenges at work and weaknesses. One candidate reported an on-site interview at an airport, and another an on-campus interview. Prepare concrete examples, and be ready to explain your interest in aviation.
